1500 budget

[lyk503]

hey, I have a 1500 budget to make a computer ( no need for monitor) and I was wondering what the best specs would be: I want to be running games at 1900x1200 with high settings!!!

I need everything from the case to the psu.

centralized around: e8400 (or should i do Q6600)
and the 9600gt SLi (or anything better?)
and the rest... anything goes.
thanks

 

[Menelmarar]

E8400 vs. Q6600.
Roughly the same price, for most games they will be the same speed since graphically demanding modern games are limited by how fast your GPU is, both CPUs are plenty adequate. But for some games like Sup Com, or other similar RTS games the Q6600 will have a little longer legs. And who knows what the future will bring as far as games using more cores? or will they stay mostly coded to only utilize dual core and better benefit from the higher clock speed of the E8400. Your call, lots of people debate it back and forth here, neither will disappoint for today's games.

9600GT SLI? There is a hot deal for $110 Palit 9600GT on newegg right now. That would be a pretty hot setup for $220. Probably faster than a single $200 8800GTS... which is what I would normally recommend. Very cool.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261002

After all the problems with 780i chipsets, are you at least going with a high end 790i?

 

[HardwareGuru]

Here's 1 option so far:

Case – Coolermaster RC590 for $70
CPU – Q6600 for $250 or $200 from your local Microcenter
Mobo – Abit IP P35 Pro for $170
RAM 2 x 2gig DDR2 800 A-DATA - $70 before rebates
Video – MSI 9800GX2 for $560
HDD – WD 640gig SATA 300 for $130
Optical – Samsung 20X SATA w/lightscribe for $30
PS – CorsairVX550 for $85 before rebate
O/S – Vista Home Premium 64 bit for $100

Total $1,465 before rebates and w/o shipping